Five months after opening, NSW koala underpass records no koala sightings
The $12 million Glen Lorne koala underpass on Appin Road has not logged any koala activity since it opened five months ago.
A new 52-metre underpass at Glen Lorne, costing $12 million, was opened on Appin Road to safeguard a rare, disease-free koala population from vehicle strikes on a road that sees roughly 10,000 cars each day. Five months after its launch, no koala has been recorded using the passage, a result that aligns with research from northern NSW and Queensland showing low koala utilisation of similar tunnels. Dr. Colin Salter, a WIRES policy lead, explained that while some wildlife has been captured on camera in other studies, koala detections are typically scarce.
The structure was built by Stockland, which experienced construction delays while negotiating access to land owned by Lendlease. The Sydney Basin Koala Network reported multiple animal strikes on this road segment during the delay period. NSW Environment Minister Penny Sharpe affirmed plans for two more underpasses, one near the Beulah Nature Reserve and a final one at Ousedale slated for late 2027.
Why it matters
The lack of koala use questions the effectiveness of costly wildlife crossings in protecting vulnerable populations.
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